Wings

Himari didn't know how long she had walked for. Night had long already set so the sights of the mountain were difficult to see. She knew she was going in the right direction though as Nobu's feather pointed the way.

"My legs are killing me. Maybe I should've taken that horse creature." Himari whined to herself.

Himari continued to walk until she could walk no more. She had managed to arrive to the forest that surrounded the mountain. She climbed one of the trees before slowly drifting off.

Once morning came, she reluctantly forced herself awake and continued her journey of steps. "I bet Sachi has already made it... I need to pick up the pace."

By midday, Himari found herself at the base of the mountain. She stared at the wide base and looked up to see the mountain outstretch beyond her sight. She had never seen anything so massive in her life. It was bigger than any tree, building, or even island that she knew. She had no idea how she was to get up it.

Himari looked around and saw a trail that went up the mountain. It was steep and slippery, but she did her best to keep her balance. The trail eventually ran out and there was more mountain left than what she had walked up. She looked around, not seeing any other way but up.

The mountain towered over her, cold and jagged. She dug her fingers into the sides of the rock, pulling herself up as her feet searched for footing in narrow cracks. Each reach was a test for an edge. The mountain didn't offer guidance, only silence and the weight of gravity pulling her down.

Her hands trembled and burned as her foot slipped, and she tumbled back down the way she came. 

Himari groaned and dusted herself off to try again. 

She learned to carefully choose her ledges, making sure she had a proper hold before moving forward. Her breath came in short bursts. Dust clung to her skin. Her muscles in her arms and legs screaming for help as they hauled her up higher, inch by inch. 

Himari managed to find footing on a ledge, barely enough for her to stand on, but just enough for her to let her arms rest and catch her breath. She looked down to see how far she came. It was a decent distance but in comparison to what she saw when she looked up, she couldn't help but feel discouraged.

After a short break, she continued upward. 

Every move required her full attention. From the height she was at now, one wrong shift and her journey would end in a flash.

Sweat mixed with grit dripped down her face. Her knees scraped against the rock, leaving behind thin trails of blood, but Himari was too focused to notice. Her fingers cramped from gripping the sharp ledges, her nails cracked as they dug into the crevices for support.

The wind whispered around her as if mocking her. She didn't look graceful. She wasn't going very fast. But she was moving. 

Himari continued to climb until she finally reached a surface. As she pulled herself over the ledge, she rolled flat on the ground, gasping desperately for air. The air burned her throat, but she didn't care, it just felt good to stop moving for a moment.

Once she caught her breath, Himari dug through her bag for some water but instead found the hair ornament Sachi had given her. The dark crimson gem gleamed at her. It really did remind her of Nobu's eyes too. 

Himari wiped the dirt from her hands and sweat from her brow. She drank her water and took a deep breath. She tied her hair simply with the hair ornament and began her climb again.

-

Since parting with Himari, Sachi has rode the horse far into the horizon. It seemed like the thread went on forever. There was no forest in sight, let alone any caves. She was beginning to doubt if it was right to part with Himari.

But despite her doubt, Sachi kept going. It was too late to turn back now. She was sure she was going the right way; she just needed to be patient and trust the process.

Sachi took and deep breath and continued to ride the horse forward.

-

Himari found herself on another flat surface that thankfully had a path connected to it. She forced her exhausted body up the path, her feet slowly dragging with each step. But she knew if she relaxed, her body would give out on her.

As the sun began to sink, the path eventually came to an end, and another climb was in order.

Himari dragged her burning body higher up the mountain, but she didn't make it very far up from the path before. Her hands gave out on her, bringing her crashing back down to the rocky path.

Himari forced herself to move but her trembling body was too heavy and too drained. She had pushed her body beyond its limits. 

Suddenly, Himari felt an intense sharp searing pain from within her chest. She sat up choking for air. It felt as though something was tearing through her, trying to escape. It was unbelievably painful. The pain pierced through her chest to her back, as if a blade of fire had shot through her very soul and out her back. It stole the air from her lungs. 

She hadn't felt pain like this since she made the deal with Nobu. 

And just as suddenly as it came, the pain vanished.

Stillness followed.

Then she felt it - a strange pull from behind, a surge of energy that wasn't hers. The wind shifted and in one breathless moment, two black elegant wings unfurled from her back - graceful and powerful, stretching outward like shadows cast by the moon. 

Nobu's wings.

When Nobu had given his life to save Himari's, he had given more than just his final breath. He had also passed on his powers to her - his magic and his wings.

Himari sat there frozen. She stared at her shadow on the ground that no longer looked like her. She saw the black feathers on the ground beside her. She had felt the energy emerge from her back and the new weight her back held. But she didn't want to believe it.

Himari hesitantly looked over her shoulder to see the same wings she was so familiar with now attached to her own back. 

Himari's eyes began to water. "You didn't have to give me your powers you know..."

Before her tears had the chance to fall, the black feather Himari had been carrying with her emerged from her pocket and flew straight up. Himari tried to catch it, but it slipped through her fingers, and it flew up into the cloud barrier.

Himari sighed. "I guess that means there's no time to rest or feel sad."

The wind danced around her. "You know you could've given me the wings at the bottom of the mountain. That would've been nice." Himari huffed.

For a slight second, it almost sounded as if the wind was laughing.

"Nobu...?"

The wind fell silent before surging below Himari and pushing her upwards.

She didn't know how to use the new addition to her body yet, but it seemed as though Nobu was giving her a chance to learn.

The wind pushed her upwards into the air. It wasn't natural - it was warm, magical, familiar. Like a memory brushing past her skin. She felt the wind running through her wings. She outstretched her wings and let herself feel the air around her, slowly understanding how to maneuver her new body.

The wind began to ease, gently falling away like a sigh on the breeze. Nobu was still there, in that gust of wind, as if giving Himari one last push.

Himari flew upwards towards the cloud barrier. Her wings carried her, and she trusted in them, just like how she would trust in Nobu.

The wind disappeared as Himari reached the cloud barrier. She looked around and saw the black feather she had before, following it to where it would lead her.

Before long, the black feather stopped, and Himari found herself on the mountain of the Tengu.

She landed on the quiet eerie mountain. The black feather slowly fell into her hands, no longer moving.

Himari looked around to find herself alone. "Thanks for showing me the way Nobu..."